REVIEW: Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter #1

3.50/5.0 Stars
Rating if the Book Were a Movie: PG-13

Creative Team:

Writer: R. A. Salvatore and Geno Salvatore
Artist: David Baldeon
Colors: David Garcia Cruz
Letters: Neil Uyetake
Cover: Steve Ellis
Editor: John Barber
Publisher: IDW Publishing 

Ratings:

Story: 3.5 Stars
Artwork: 3.3 Stars
Cover Artwork: 3.7 Stars
Dialogue: 3.6 Stars
Mechanics: 3.4 Stars
Editing: 3.5 Stars 

About the Book:

Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter #1 is about the long sword, Khazid’hea. In the language of drow elves Khazid’hea translates to “Cutter”. There are different beliefs about the sword’s origins. No one disagrees that the blade is sentient and wants to be wielded by the most powerful warrior.

Currently Cutter is wielded by Tos’un Armgo. He’s come to realize that since being injured in the conflict with the Kingdom of Many Arrows he doesn’t have the strength or skill necessary to wield this weapon. He has decided to pass it on to whichever of his children, Doum’wielle and Teirflin, proves themselves worthy. Unbeknownst to Tos’un, Khazid’hea has plans of its own.

Reader’s Notes:

Growing up I loved the Rankin and Bass animated film, The Hobbit. By extension, Lord of the Rings was right up my alley. I was unfamiliar with Dungeons and Dragons until seventh grade. One of my friends lent me a copy of R.A. Salvatore’s The Crystal Shard and I was hooked.

I didn’t learn about the game until I had already completed the Icewind Dale and Dark Elf trilogies. My friends and I formed a party and had all sorts of gaming sessions. That lasted until the end of the school year. Several of us moved away and I never seemed to fit in with another party.

That didn’t slow my love of all things Drizzt Do’Urden. I still gobbled up each novel as it came out. Dungeons & Dragons: Cutter was published in 2013. It never made it onto my radar until I saw the first issue in an online auction. I bought it.

Because I have limited self control and patience I bought a digital copy because I didn’t want to wait for my box to finish being filled with other geeky goodness to read it. By my logic I was already ten years behind the 8 ball on this title.

Having a story that focuses on Khazid’hea is a terrific concept. Aegis Fang, Icingdeath, and Entreri’s dagger are fascinating weapons in their own right. I don’t believe any of them are sentient.

I liked how we get to see Khazid’hea manipulating the situation. It’s a formidable weapon and a formidable foe. It changes the way that its wielder (or prospective wielder) views the world. This blade can make individuals do unspeakable things and feel like they are justified in their actions.

I like the artwork on this cover. The line work is very detailed. The coloring makes the scene very vivid. What I liked most is how the cover promises action and intensity while being relevant to the story.

The artwork on the interior pages is solid. From cover to cover we get outstanding facial expressions, especially in the panels with combat. I liked seeing Teirflin’s efforts to prove that he deserved to wield Khazid’hea.

As a geek on a budget I believe that this is a must read for anyone that appreciates Mr. Salvatore’s work. I would recommend that you are caught up through the Transitions trilogy beginning to read this title. Otherwise you will be unfamiliar with characters and events that are necessary to understand this story.